Sake Interlude
by Sake Sucker
Summary: On a trip to Kyoto for sake, Hiko considers the past two years since his deshi has left him... and worries about the events of the past two days. Please read and review!


**Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin, that I most certainly do not.**

_"Cherry blossoms in the Spring, and starry skies in the Summer. The Autumn brings the full moon. The Winter brings the snow. These things make Sake taste good. If sake doesn't taste good to you, then there is something wrong with you."_

_--Hiko Seijuro_

**Sake Interlude**

It was nearing sunset. Really, it wasn't such a long walk to Kyoto, but he rarely made it. Usually, when he needed food or sake, he visited one of the small towns at the base of his mountain. They were friendly to him, and didn't ask questions, which was what he preferred. In fact, he was actually on good enough terms with the old sake-maker in the nearest town that they would have friendly conversations now and then during transactions. The weather. Crops. Kenshin…

A muscle tightened in Hiko's jaw. He'd stopped visiting that town not long after Kenshin had abandoned him. The first time he'd gone down to purchase sake afterward, the old man had unknowingly brought the boy up. Asked how he was doing. The swordsman should have known that it would happen. The kid had always been in tow when he'd come. And the few times that Kenshin _hadn't_ come, Hiko had found he was unable to discuss anything other than how promising the boy was with the old man. Of course it shouldn't have come as a surprise to him when he'd arrived alone, in a dark mood, and had purchased far more sake than usual, that the old man would ask.

There had been concern in his faded blue eyes. At first he'd said nothing, but when it had become apparent that Hiko was not about to talk about his child, the sake maker had finally, tentatively asked about him.

Hiko didn't remember how he'd replied. He knew it had been harsh and unjustified. It had been one of the only times he'd ever unfairly snapped at someone without meaning to. Directly after paying for the jugs of sake, he had uncorked one and was already drinking before he'd walked back out into the sunshine.

He hadn't missed the sympathetic look in the old man's eyes as he'd turned away. He knew what the man was probably thinking. That the child had fallen ill and died. Or had been hurt in some accident. That Hiko was grieving the loss in the only way that a man such as himself could.

Well, in some ways he was right. The boy was as good as dead to him…

That had also been the last time he'd gone there. He'd made sporadic trips to one of the further villages. He didn't like the sake they made in Kyoto much. It was weak. Made with poor flavor, it's only function to be just strong enough for soldiers to get drunk on. He didn't drink to get drunk. He didn't make enough money to buy that much sake.

But tonight, he intended to try.

Two days ago, he had heard something that had made his blood run cold. Something that he had been waiting to hear. Hiko had never had an interest in politics, or any news, for that matter. He wanted the damn war to end, so that fewer lives would be lost over such stupidity. But he'd never followed it before.

Lately, he'd been reading the notices when he'd enter towns. He'd caught himself picking up the paper and skimming the articles more and more frequently.

Two days ago, he'd finally made the connection that he'd unwittingly been searcing for during the past two years.

Another assassination. These were always little articles, thrown into corners of the news. They were never big names, so they never merited attention. Hiko had devoured each paper looking for these small articles.

After all, years ago, his had been small articles as well…

Two days ago, he'd noticed the latest assassination, with a bit more description than usual. Descriptions of the death. Of the speed and skill necessary for the killing. This man had been more important than the others. He was more than a name for the papers to throw in. He deserved some defense for his death.

A battou-jutsu attack of incredible speed. Death appeared to be immediate. All bodyguards slain as well. All enemies of the Ishin-Shishi, specifically of Choshu. No witnesses.

Hiko's eyes darkened. Not a surprise that Kenshin had chosen that side. He _would_ jump into the most revolutionary group he could find. He had probably begged Katsura to take his soul in exchange for "the people".

Hiko snorted. As though those same people would ever thank him. _If_ Kenshin even survived this war, he'd go mad with the blood. He'd be torn apart. The boy was strong, but he was far too young. Very naïve. Still weak of mind and spirit. His kindness was not built out of time and knowledge and understanding. It was powered by a light--some wild, flickering fire--that burned inside of him. Fires like his were easily put out.

_If_ Kenshin came out of this, the best he could hope for was instability. Insanity. _Maybe_ if he was lucky, he would simply be a cold, jaded man… old beyond his years. Hiko scowled. Though probably not. Hiko had not been so innocent when he'd almost sold his _own_ soul. His light had already been carefully hidden away from the world. Kenshin would never turn out like him.

More likely than not, Kenshin would simply go mad. He'd kill until he needed blood to function. Or else _they_ would kill him when he was no longer useful. Hiko knew little of Katsura. Only that the man was a skilled and sometimes ruthless swordsman. But if he was anything like Okubo, the man who hailed from Hiko's old han, then Kenshin had a very short lifespan to look forward to.

And so, as the sun set in reds and ambers, fading into a deep, deep blue, Hiko entered Kyoto. He would not stay long. Just get the sake and return home.

He picked up his pace, entering the first establishment he saw that still appeared to be open.

_Buy it and go._

He focused on that single thought. It was the only thing now that could distract him from that faint sense of familiar ki as he passed a dark alley.

_Kenshin…_

* * *

Author's Note: Thanks to lolo popoki and sueb262 for their great beta work. And once again, thanks to lolo for the title! There is a quick nod to sueb262's excellent fic "Memento Mori", by the way, in the discussion of the small articles. You might want to check her work out if you want a great Hiko angst!

And, of course, thanks to you for reading, and (hopefully) reviewing.

Sake


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